Lock of the keyless type



June 17 1924.

J. B. LAFOREST LOOK OF THE KEYLESS TYPE Filed May 2 192 H W 9 5 0 [\Q .1 F w a F 5 p w w z z .m)

Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITE .ST'ATES PATENT OFFICE- JOHN B. LAFOREST, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LOCK OF THE KEYLESS TYPE.

Application filed May 2,

operating knob to predeterminedpositions as an incident to unlocking thesame.

Such locks are known as the combination type, and) it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved construction which will be simple inconstruction,-

require tew parts, eilectivein operation and afford a maxnnum protectlon against any.

fraudulent attempt to tamper with the same.

The principal object of the present invention is to improve the construction of the lock shown and described in 'mycopending application bearing Serial Number 616,85et, filed February 3rd, 1923.

Although I have shownmy invention applied to a particular lock, it is to be understood that the invention iscapable of being used in connection with other locks,

and that the drawings are merely illustrative and are not to be construed as de: fining the limits of the invention.

One object of the present invention is to provide animproved construction of the setting members, or tumblers, whereby their manufacture is facilitated and with minor changes may readily be'tormed so that a large number of combinations is possible with a relatively few parts.

The arrangement and construction or the tumblers themselves is novel being so designed that they can easily be machined and quickly assernl'i-led. One of the tum.-' bler-s acts as a support for the remaining tumblers and when assembled together with the supporting shaft and knob the components are as a unit andmay, readily beinserted within the casing with a minimum of effort. v

Still another object of the present in- 1923. Serial N0. 636,263.

' vention is to attach the setting members and associated parts to the frames in such a manner as to require a minimum of space permitting a compact arrangement, thereby enhancing the external. appearanceoii the lock.

WVith these and incidental objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended-claims, and a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of the specification.

Of such drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of thelock to which my invention has been applied. Figure 2 is a view in side elevation; Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure-2 some oft'he parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 4: is an enlarged view ot' the underside of the setting knob.

Figure 5 is a collective plan view 0i the threesetting elements comprising part of my invention.

Figure 6 is a collective view,one inplan and the remaining sectional views of the same parts illustrated in Figure Figure 7 is a central seotionalview of the setting knob also showing a portion of the central support ng shaft,

Figure 8 1s a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 1 showing part of the 1 interior mechanism.

As illustrated and described in my copending application the various mechanisms which comprise the lock are carried by a casing indicated generally by a reference character 5, The said casing is formed with an aperture 6 (bestshown'in Figure 8) extending partly through and within which isrotatably mounted the setting elements which will be described more in de-;

tail hereinafter. Slidably mounted in. a vertical aperture 7 is one end of the shackle 8 the other portion of which registers with a similar aperture 9 also formed in the casing5. I

Normally the shackle 8 is locked against movement but under certain conditionsit.

may be given a vertical movement sufficient to withdraw the shackle 8 from the aperture 9 permitting the said shackle to be rotated to effect its disengagement from the casing in a manner well known in the art.

In order to limit the upward movement of the shackle 8 and to prevent the same from being completely drawn from the casing I have provided one end of the shackle 8 with a reduced portion 10 co-operating with a pin 11 passing through the casing 5 as is best seen in Figure 2.

As previously stated there is provided a plurality of setting elements 12, 13, and 14 which are rotatably mounted in the central aperture 6. In the present instance three have been shown but it is to be understood that this number isnot the es- I sence of the invention, and can be increased,

- or even decreased, to meet the exigencies r the casing which receives the end of shaft 17 is dimensioned to receive the same and after the shaft has been secured in the easing 5 the recess is filled in with metal by a welding operation thereby concealing the joint and eliminating any visible external sign of the point of assembly.

Upon the front surface of the casing 51 there is engraved or otherwise formed a series of equal graduated marks encircling the flange portion20 of the knob .15 and running from O to 40. A cut in the flange 20 of the knob 15 serves as a means to indi-;

cate the relative position of the knob and 'to assist the operator in determining the proper position of the same to release the lock.

As clearly shown in Figure 3 there is pro 'vided a floating pin 21 which is slidably mounted in a horizontal passage 22 formed 1n the casing 5. The floating pln term nates at one end in a V shape and is adapted to register with a similar shaped cut in the lower end of the shackle 8. The opposite end is substantially semi-circular in section, flat'at the end and is at times either'adapted to co-act with the periphery of each of the setting elements 12, 13, and 14, or be received by the square notches 24 cut in the peripheries of the said setting elements.

The width of the pin 21 is substantially equivalent to that of the aggregate thickness of the three setting elements, and semicircular in shape; a small lug or pin 21 is projecting from the casing just'under the flat portion ofpin 21 to prevent this latter from turning about its axis and from what has just been stated it will be evident that in order to lockthe shackle 8 the V shaped end of the pin must be received by the notch formed in the shackle and the opposite end of the pin bear against the circular portion of the periphery of one or all of the setting elements. 1

In order to unlock the shackle all that is necessary is to adjust the setting'elements in such a manner that the flat end of the pin 22 be received by the notches of all the setting elements whereby an upward movement of the shackle will cam the floating pin 22 forward thereby locking the setting elements against further movement until the shackle is re-instated.

In my previous application I discloseda floating pin 'slidably mounted in a horizontal aperture the axis of which passed through the center of the supporting shaft. In the present application this aperture is substantially horizontal but at a distance from the said axis. By disposing this aper ture in the aforesaid manner I have greatly reduced the size of the casing which carries these parts and have provided a very compact arrangement of parts. 7

It will be advantageous'and helpful at this time to explain in detail the organization and novel construction ofuthe setting elements 12, 13, and 14 and their relation to each other. V 1 v The'settingelement 12 is provided with an extending hub 26through which the supporting shaft 17 passes and two laterally extending pins 27 and 271 which are radially the same distance from the center of the shaft 17 as a pin 28 carried by knob 15 and adapted to 'co-operate therewith, Mounted 011 the hub 26 and in juxtaposition to the last mentioned setting element 12 is an intermediate setting element 13 which is also provided witha plurality of pins 29 and 291,

Attached to and movable with the hub 27' is a radially projecting member 30 which is adapted to engage either of the pins '29 or 291 carried by the element 13. The remaining element 14 is also mounted upon the hub and likewise carries a pin 31 in the path of the radially disposed projection 30. As shown in Figures '5 and 6 the opposite faces of the elements 13 and 14 have suitable annular recesses 32 and 33 the aggregate width being greater than the thickness of the projection 30 to allow a free movement therein. To facilitate assembly of the element 13 upon the hub 27 the said element is formed with a radial slot 34 (Figure 5) adapted to i receive the projection 30 when the element 13 is passed over the said hub. In order to'retain the elements when set in their adjusted positions I have provided a spring pressed plunger 35 bearing against the periphery of the setting elements. This construction is old and it is believed not necessary to describe it in detail.

The general organization, construction and relation of the various components have thus been set forth in detail and the general operation of the lock to release the shackle will now be given.

It will be assumed that the shackle has been reinstated and that the floating pin is in a position to prevent its upward movement.

One possible combination which has been shown is 11, 12 and 33, reversing the direction of rotation of the knob between successive settings,

As will be presently described, when the shackle is reinstated the knob 15 is prevented from being rotated clock-wise (as viewed in Figure 3) and in order to lock the shackle the operator rotates it counter-clockwise, approximately a full revolution. In order to unlock the shackle the knob is rotated clockwise until the pin 28 engages the pin 27 and drives the same and the element 12. As the element 12 and the projection 30 are rotated the latter will engage the pin 31 and drive the element 1d clockwise. At about the 11 mark the notch 24: of the element 14 will be in line with the floating pin. The knob 15 is now turned counter-clockwise first idly until the pin 28 strikes the pin 271 whereupon the projection 30 will strike pin 291 to rotate the element 13 counter-clockwise. At the 12 mark the notch 24 will now be in line with the floating pin. The knob is again turned clockwise whereupon the element 12 will have, by virtue of the engagement of pin 28 with pin 27, been rotated sufficiently to bring the notch 24c in line with the floating pin. In the present instance this will take place at the 33 mark on the scale. The shackle may now be moved outwardly to effect its disengagement from the casing. As the shackleis pulled outwardly the floating pin will be carried forwardly to bring the flat end in engagement with the square notches 24:. When in this position the setting elements are locked against movement. Vhen the shackle is reinstated the setting elements can be rotated but in a particular direction only. In the present instance, to lock the shackle the knob must be turned counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 3. If an attempt is made to rotate the knob clockwise the horizontal edge of the square notch of one of the elements will engage the underside of the floating pin and tend to lift it up, but this will be prevented as will readily be seen and understood. When an element is rotated counter-clockwise the vertical edge of the notch will contact with the flatedge o'f'the pin 21 and force the latter rearwardly. Upon further rotation of a setting element the circular periphery of the same will contact with the floating pin 21 thereby locking thershackle. Prevention of the rotation of the setting elements in a clockwise direction insures that the setting elements are adjusted in a manner to insure locking of the shackle and prevent any malaction of the setting elements and the knob.

As the position of the pins carried by the setting elements can be varied at will, it will be possible to obtain a great number of different combinations without eifecting the form of the'setting elements.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it'will be manifest that a combination lock is provided which will fulfill all of the neces sary requirements of such a device, and it is to be understood in this connection that various minor changes in the specific details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of setting elements one of which is formed with a hub on which are rotatably mounted the remaining elements, projections upon the said remaining setting elements, a radially disposed projection integral with the said hub, co-operating with the said projections, and annular recesses formed in the remaining setting elements to allow a free movement of the radially disposed projection.

'2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a knob carrying. a shaft, a setting element formed with a hub mounted on the shaft, a plurality of setting elements carried by the hub, a projecting member integral with said hub and a slot formed in one of the elements carried by the said hub adapted to receive the said projectin g member whereby the assembly of the last mentioned element on the hub is facilitated.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a knob carrying a shaft, a projection carried by the said knob, a setting element formed with a hub mounted upon the said shaft, a projection carried by the said element engageable with the projection carried by the said knob, a plurality of setting elements mounted upon said hub, one being provided with a single projection while the other is provided with a plurality of projections, and a radially projecting member carried by the said hub engageable with the projections carried by the setting elements mounted upon the said hub.

t. In a device of the characterdescribed,

the combination with a knob carrying a V plurality of setting elements mounted on the shaft, aprojection carried by the said knob, I said'hub With annular recesses to allow a a setting elenient formed With a hub nlountmovement of the radially projecting member 10 ed upon the said shaft, projections carried Within the same, and projections carried by by the said element engageable with the prothe last mentioned elements engageable With jection carried by the said knob, a radially the radially projecting member.

projecting member integral With said hub, a JOHN B. LAFOR EST. 

